Interrupter for electric current



NOV. 5, I929. REBQRI 1,734,692-

INTERRUPTER FOR ELECTRIC CURRENT Original Filed Jan. 27. 1922 A 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 4177/0 8260/7 A TTORNEYS.

Nov. 5, 1929. A. REBORI 1,734,692

INTERRUPTER FOR ELECTRIC CURRENT Original Filed Jan. 27, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

BY 4h/lo Ebon A TTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 5, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .ATILIO REBORI, BUEN OS AIZRES, ARGENTINA INTERRUPTER FOR EL ECTRIG CURRENT- Applicatiqn filed January 27, 1922, Serial No. 582,329, and in Argentina February 2, 1921.

Renewed September 20, 1929.,

This invention relates to automatic circuit breakers of the type wherein the circuit breaker is automatically actuated incident to I the occurrence of an abnormal condition existing in the main circuit by an electrical device interposed in a second or auxiliary circuit.

The invention has for its object to provide a circuit breaker provided with a locking 1o device which, subsequent to the operation "of the breaker to open the main circuit prevents the return of the breaker to circuit closing position until said device has been reset. I A further object of the device is an automatic circuit breaker which, subsequentto the resetting of the locking device, may be moved to circuit closing position from various points remote from the breaker. I A further object of the invention is the provision of a novel type of switch lever and an electr c-magnetically actuated tripping device therefor, the switch lever of the circuit breaker acting to automatically open the auxiliary circuit whereby to prevent the unnecessary expenditure of current in the latter sub sequent to an operation of the breaker.

In the accompanying drawing wherein an approved embodiment of the invention is illustrated Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View of the circuit breaker illustrating the auxiliary circuit and a portipn of the main circuit.

Figures 2 and 3 are detail elevations of the switch lever of the circuit breaker showing said lever in circuit opening and closing posi tions, respectively. I

Figures and 5 are detail elevations in section shdwi g in detail the electro-magnetically controlled locking device for preventing the automatic return of the circuit breaker to circuit closing'position.

Referring to the drawing in detail the nu; mergals 2'0 and indicate the terminals of the main circuit which are adapted to be connected with asuitable source of ele'ctro-motive force, the circuit being completed. from the'point's 20 and 30 through the coil of a solenoid 26, "conductor 31, stationary ontacts 16 "and 17, movable contact 7 and the lamp 19. The coil of the solenoid 26 is connected in '13 and the trip lever B the projection 11' of series with the main circuit and for the sake of convenience will be hereinafter referred to as the series coil. Said coil is adapted to act in response to the existence of abnormal conditionsin the main circuit such, for instance, as a short circuit or the like and incident to the existence of such conditions the armature 27 of the solenoid is elevated in the manner hereinafter more fully described. The armature is normally held in a pits-determined position with respect to the coil 26 by the spring 28 the tenslon of which may be varied by an adjusting nut'29. a I The movable contact7 forming part of the switch of the circuit breaker is carried by the switch leverA which is pivotally mounted at 6 on a relatively stationary support 15. The m edial or pivoted portion of the lever 1 is provided with notches 2 and 3 and a lower extremity with divergent guide fingers 4 and 5. Movement is imparted to the switch lever 1. by the angular trip lever R the extremities of which are provided with lateral projections 10 and 11 coacting with the opposite sides of the lever having the notches 2 and 3 respectively therein, the medial portion of the trip lever is pivotally mounted at 12on a vertically movable armature 13, the extremities of which are movably mounted in' the coil of the solenoids 14 supported by the sup porting frame 15. The armature 13 carry ing the trip lever R normally tends tofall by gravity to the position shown in Figures. 2 and 3 and, when elevated from the position shown in Fig. 2, the projection 11 thereof engaged in the notch 3 causes the switch lever 1 to be thrown to circuit closing position as indicated in Fig. 3. Incident to the subsequent downward movement of the armature the lat-ten guided by the finger 5 causes the projection 10 to enter the notch 2 so that, incident to the subsequent upward movement of the armature 13 and the tripleVer R the switch leverl is returned to circuit opening position as indicated in'Fig. 2; f

The energization of the coils of'the solenoids 14 is-controlled by contacts 25 and 33 interposed in a circuit including the conduc- I tor-24, battery 22, solenoid coils 14, conductor 10a 36, switch arm 35, conductor 34-and the coil of the electro-magnet 32. The relatively movable contact member 25 is'arranged in the path of the armature 27 of the series coil 26 so that when the armature 27 is moved in re-v sponse to the existence of an abnormal condition in the main circuit the contact member engages the contact member 33 and, as-' suming the switch arm 35 is closed the coils of the solenoids 14 are energized thus resulting in the elevation of the armature 33 and trip lever R and the consequent movement of the switch lever 1 from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Fig. 2.-. The switch lever 1 is provided with a projection 1 which,'-after said lever is thrown from closed to open position engages and opens the switch arm 35 thus interrupting the flow of current from the battery 32 to the coil of the solenoid 14 and preventing the unnecessary Waste of battery current.

The coil of the electro-magnet 32 which is interposed in the auxiliary circuit is ener-- -gized co-incident with the energization of;

,. the rod 40 in the eye 40". When the armatare 13 is elevated in response to energization of the solenoid coils 14 the rod 40 is simultaneously elevated and, disengaging the eye 40 permits-the locking member 41 to swing to the position indicated in Fig. 5 in dotted lines by the numeral 44in which position it c is disposed in the path of the armature 13 and prevents the latter from returnin by i ig netic means associated with the armature and gravity to the normal position shown in 3 until the attendant resets the locking device anden ages the lower extremity of the r rod 40 in t e eye 40*} so as to retain said deice in inoperative position.

The poleof the battery 22' which is connected to the movable contact 25, is connected througha conductor 23 with the terminal of the solenoid coils 14 with which the conductor 36 is connected and a series of parallel connected push button or other type of circuit closing device 21, 21", 21", 21 and 21" are connected between the battery and the solenoid coils 14.

The circuit closers 21 may be utilized for manually operating the automatic circuit breaker when so desired or, on the otherhand, for swinging the circuit breaker to circuit closing position after the latter has been thrown out. It is impossible, however, to cause the return of the lever 1 to circuit closing position before the attendant has reset the locking device 41 as above'described.

I claim- 1. In 'an automatic circuit breaker, a main switch lever, means pivotally supporting the switch lever, a movable armature, a double arm lever pivoted to and movable with the armature, a projection on each armof said lever, said projections being engageable with the opposite sides of the switch lever for alternately swin 'ng the latter from one side to the other inci ent to movement of the armature, and means on said lever for alternately engaging the projections on the trip lever for shifting the latter from side to side to cause the respective projections to engage in o posite sides of the main lever.

' 2. In an automatic circuit breaker, a mainswitch lever, means pivotally supporting the switch lever, a movable armature, a trip ever pivoted to and movable with the armature,

projections on the latter engageable with the) opposite sides of the switch lever for alterna tely swinging the latter from one side to the other incident to movement of the armature, and means on said lever for engaging the projections on the trip lever for shifting the latter from side to side to cause the reever nately swinging the latter from one side to I the other incident to movement of the armature, and means on said lever for engaging the projections on the tri lever for shifting .the"latter from side to side to cause the re- Y spective projections to engage in opposite sides of the main lever, a circuit, electro-maginterposed in the circuit, locking means for the armature, means to retain the locking meansin inoperative position and electrically operated means interposed irrsaid circuit for releasing, the retaining means and permitting the locking means to move to operative posi-' tion. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. ATILIO REBORI.

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